Controlling from a distant point the operation of a mechanism or instrument.



. O. BERGER.

CONTROLLING FROM A DISTANT POINT THE OPERATION OF A MECHANISM 0R INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19, 1910.

1,1 1 6,870, Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

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wi/bncowo 3 mm wtoz mmmgs snares arm orrno onnisrmn BERGER, or cnarnsr, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, AssIeNon '10 sunmnnmn wrnnnnss company, a conronnrron or new YORK.

CONTROLLING A DISTANT POINT THE OPERATION OF A MIEJGHANISM OR" INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. mania,

Application filed March 1?, 1910. Serial No. 550,486.

-mechanism or instrument.

One of the main objects hereof is to permi-tthe control of a given operation by means. of sound waves or similar air pulsations created at a distant oint; for exam ple, according hereto one might, by whistling or clapping the hands at one point in a room, cause the operation of a toy or the lighting of a light or similar operation at another part of the room.

Other and more s ecific objects will appear in the hereina r following descriptions According hereto the operation of con trolling from a distant point the operation ofa mechanism or instrument conslsts substantially in creating at the distant point the pulsations or sound waves in air, receivingthe same at the place of location of the mechanism or instrument by means of a sensitive device such as a microphone which is adapted to change or decrease the normal current in an electrical circuit, causing the current in such circuit to flow through a magnet coil having an armature connected to or forming part of the mechanismor instrument to be controlled, and providing for such armature a force tending to withdraw it from said magnet, such force being inoperative under normal current condit1ons and msuflicient to wlthdraw the-armature, but operative and suflicient to withdraw the armature-with the decreased current due to the eliect of the air pulsations By withdrawing the armature is, of course, meant broadly the separation of the armature and magnet. This movement of the armature can be utilized for various purposes such as closing a second circuit, the current of which performs the desired operation. In another type of device the relay armature as it is pulled ofi, directly performs the desired operation mechanically. Accordin to this invention, these devices are useful for operating toys, small lighting devices, ig-r niting devices, house telegraphs' and other devices operated by special'manipnlations,

so that the latter device can be operated by a sound action, for instance by a whistle, by cla ping the hands, and the like. As such evices are-not handled by experts, and as their purchase price does not admit of expensive and careful work and of an accurate adjustment of each single article, another side of the invention relates to improvements in such devices, the object of which is partly to increase the reliability of working, and partly to simplify the said devices.

The apparatus which I prefer for carryingout the present invention comprises the three following elements in a combination: First, a micro hone circuit containing a microphone which will be sentitive to sound waves or like pulsations received from the distant point, and the microphone being adapted when afiected by pulsations to modify the normal electric current in such armature, so arranged' and fitted as to shift when said magnet is modified from a first circuit. Third, a shiftable part such as an position to a second position, the first positionbeing preferably within the operative influence of the magnet and the second po.-

sition be 0nd such influence, or in some cases su ciently within the influence to be returned by the assistance of special expedients. With such a paratus the effect of the sound waves on t' e microphone is to increase the resistance and cause a fall of current in the circuit sothat anelectro-magnet in the circuit is weakened, owing to which the armature previously held by the magnet is released so that gravity or a spring may cause the armatures shifting and so that 1n turn the shifting of the armature may bring about the operation of the mechanism or instrument to be controlled. Sometimes the shifting of the armature will be employed the device diagrannnatically shown, in Fig 2, is arranged a second electro-magnet o 00- the magnet.

In Fig. 1 the circuit of a battery g anda' device or lamp m is closed, on sound waves being produced. This is effected by means of an armature f of a magnet 6 connected in series with a microphone m, the armature in question adhering in the position of rest to Upon the microphone being excited, the armature is relatively separated rom the magnet by means of a springd orv the like. The current for the toy or other instrument or mechanism is thus closed at the contact 0. The return of the armature to the magnet is effected manually in this case,by means of a press .button 1" or the like. The various factors affecting the state of current, namely, battery-pressure, microphone resistance, etc., are subject to changes. It is therefore in some cases advisable or essential to use, for disengaging the magnet and armature, a force that would adapt; itself to the changing conditions in a better. manner than any practically, constant spring;

or other pressure or. pull. To that end, in

acting in opposition to the 'firstfimagnete. The second magnet is shown connected in shunt to the microphone m on the micro phone circuit. .The circuits and resistances are so arranged that the current passing. through the electrd-magnetc in'the position of rest, is comparatively weak and unable 'to attract the armature in opposition to the action of' the electro-magnet e which is powerfully energized by the main circuit. Now inv case of sound waves acting on the "microphone m, the resistance of the microphone increases, whereby the strength of current in themagnet e, and therefore the force of attraction of the latter, are decreased,

fwhileon the contrary the strength of cur- ,rent in the disengaging 'electro-magnet '0, connected parallel to the microphone, is

simultaneously increased in accordance with. the changed condltlons of reslstance, and

therefore the attractive force of'the latter electro-magnet is also increased. Owing to v the differential action of this double change of force, the electro-magnet '0 will now be able to disengage the armature f from the. magnet e and to shift it, and at the same time the circuit of the device to be operated will be closed by means of the contact a. After the sound action has ceased, the original conditions of current will again obtain, so that the device, after the resetting of the armature will again be ready for working. This re-setting can be effected either by hand, for instance, by means of a ,press button as in Fig. 1, or the distances and arrangements of current and magnets can be so calculated that the magnet a will beable to disengage the armature from the electro-magnet c and to reattract and shift it. In either case the original state will be reproduced automatically.

' Fig. 3 shows, as a simple example, a construction of device in which the device to be operated, is directly actuated mechanically m in circuit with-battery b and the magnet R, the armature f of which is secured to-a lever such as the swinging lidof the box, and keeps the latterclosed in the position of rest. On the production of the sound acand not by closing a second circuit. On the side of the box n is mountedthe microphone tion (whistle, clapping of the hands, etc.)

thearmature, together-with the box cover,

is released, whereupon the spring throws'up the doll p or the like, at the same time openingthe lid of the'box. The armature practically forms a part of and controls the toy mechanism. This device is merely intended to represent an exampleof the numerous mechanically operated devices which can be constructed in various ways. Thus, for instance, brakes on clockwork can be released,

signal disks thrown up, weights allowed to .fall, in orderto bring about actions of the' most varied nature.

it will be seen that by the above described and illustrated embodiments I have accomplished the advantages and objects hereinbefore referred to, and other advantages and functions will be apparent to those acquainted with the subject.

Since manyspecific features of arrange f ment, combination and detail shown herein may be varied without departing-from the main principles, I donot-intend to restrict myself thereto, excepting so-far as'specified respectively in the appended claims.

' What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is p 1 .:In a mechanism having means for actuating it and means for controlling the same from a :distant pointfthe combination of a microphone circuit containing a microphone sensitive to sound waves "or llke pul-" sations received fromthe distant point, said microphone adapted when affected by pulsations to decrease the normal electric current in said circuit, anelectro-magnet adapt edto have its magnetic pull dec (1 through the decrease of current in Se. cuit, a second 'electro-magnetconnecte I parallel with said microphone and adapted net.

to have its pull increased when the current in said microphone circuit is decreased, and a shiftable armature adapted to be released from the first magnet and drawn to the sec.- ond one upon the impact of pulsations on said microphone.

2. Electric acoustic mechanism for operating toys, illuminating devices, igniting devices, house telegraplis, and the like, comprising a source of current, a microphone, a relay magnet, an electrical circuit connecting the source of current to the microphone and the relay magnet, an armature for said relay magnet adhering to the magnet in the state of rest of the microphone, an electrical circuit for operating the device to which the mechanism is attached, a source of current for said circuit, a second magnet adapted to remove the armature from the relay magnet and to close the electrical ciruitfor operating the device to which the mechanism is attached when the current in the microphone circuit is weakened by sound waves or other mechanical vibrations, and means for energizing said second mag- 3. Electric acoustic mechanism for operating toys, illuminating devices, igniting devices, house telegraphs, and the like, comprising a source of current, a microphone, a relay magnet, an electrical circuit connecting the source of current to the microphone and the relay magnet, an armature for said relay magnet adhering to the magnet in the state of rest of the microphone, an electrical circuit for operating the device to which the mechanism is attached, a source of current for said circuit, a second magnet adapted to remove the armature from the relay magnet and to close the electrical circuit for operating the device to which the mechanism is attached when the current in the microphone circuit is weakened by sound waves or other mechanical vibrations and a circuit including said second magnet and connected in parallel with the microphone circuit. r

4. Apparatus controllable by sound waves from a distant point comprising, in combination, a microphone circuit containing a microphone sensitive to sound waves or like pulsations received from the distant point, said microphone adapted when aifected by such pulsations to modify the normal electric current in said circuit, an electro-magnet adaptedto have its magnetic pull modified' through the modification .of current in said circuit, a shiftable armature arranged in cooperative relation with said magnet, and means for producing an automatically variable counterforce tending to relatively separate said magnet and armature.

5. Apparatus controllable. by sound Waves from a distant point comprising, in combi- .in coiiperative relation with said magnet,

nation, a microphone circuit, containing a microphone sensitive to sound waves or like pulsations received from the distant point, said microphone adapted when alfected by such pulsations to modify the normal electric current in said circuit, an electro-magnet adapted to have its magnetic pull modified through the modification of current in said circuit, a shiftable armature arranged and means for producing an automatically variable counter-force tending to relatively separate said magnet and armature comprising a second electro-magnet connected up to increase in strength when the first magnet decreases.

6. Apparatus controllable by sound waves from a distant point comprising, in combination, a microphone circuit containing a. microphone sensitive to sound waves or like pulsations received from the distant point, said microphone adapted when affected by such pulsations to modify the normal electric current in said circuit, an electro-magnet adapted to have its magnetic pull modified through the modification of current in said circuit, a shiftable armature arranged .in cooperative relation with said magnet,

and means for producing an automatically variable counterforce tending to relatively separate said magnet and armature comprising a second electro-magnet connected up in parallel with said microphone, whereby increased resistance in the microphone decreases the current in the first and increases it in the second magnet.

7. Apparatus controllable by sound waves from a distant point comprising, in combination, a microphone circuit containing a microphone sensitive to sound waves or.like

pulsations received from the distant point, said microphone adapted when affected by such pulsations to modify the normal electric current in said circuit, a magnet coil adapted to'haveits magnetic pull modified through the modification of current in said circuit, a shiftablearmature arranged to be normally drawn toward such coil, a second magnet coil arranged to ofiset the effect of the first coil, and means for causing the strength of the second coil to increase when the first decreases.

8. Apparatus controllable by sound wavesfrom'a distant point comprising, incombination, a microphone circuit containing a 12 microphone sensitive to sound waves or like pulsations received from the distant point, said microphone adapted when affected by such pulsations to modify the normal electric curent in said circuit, a magnet coil adapted to have its magnetic pull modified, through the modification of current in said circuit, a shifta-ble armature arranged to be normally drawn toward such coil, :1 second magnet coil arranged to offset the effect of 1 the first coil, and means for causing the In testimony whereof I have signed my strength of the second coillto increase when name to this specification in the presence of the first decreases; comprising a. shunt cirtwo subscribing witnesses.

cuit for the second coil, whereby increased CHRISTIAN BERGER.

- resistance at the microphone decreases the Witnesses current in the first and increases it in the ARTHUR B. S'INGERLY, second 0011. HUGH KEMSING. 

